From 18 Months to 3: How LMU Munich Fixed University IP Transfer

From 18 Months to 3: How LMU Munich Fixed University IP Transfer

In my last post, I wrote about a number that stopped me cold: 18 months. That's how long university IP transfer into a startup takes in Germany — on average. Just to sign the contract. Before anything real can begin.

The response was overwhelming. So today I want to share what we actually did about it.

Six months ago, this would have sounded impossible.

Today it is signed reality.

At LMU Munich, we transfer university IP into a spin-off in 3 months.

Not by pushing founders harder.

By changing the system.

The old system was the problem

Before, a founder at LMU had to navigate 5 decision levels:

Spin-Off Service Team → IP Management → Legal Department → Finance Department → University Executive Board.

Every handover caused delay. Every department had other priorities. Nobody owned the outcome.

The result: unclear responsibility, slow decisions, and founders waiting 18 months before the real work could even start.

A scientist shouldn't have to knock on 10 doors.

An investor shouldn't hear: "Maybe next year."

What LMU's New IP Transfer Process Actually Looks Like

We built a One-Stop-Shop for Entrepreneurship.

One decision level. One empowered, cross-functional team. All key competencies in one place: IP & Legal, Finance, Incubation, Spin-Off Service, Community & Network.

One clear path for founders. Guided. Transparent. Founder-focused.

I think of it like a catalyst in chemistry. A catalyst doesn't create the reaction. It lowers the energy needed for it to happen.

That's exactly what we built. Not magic. Structure.

And yes, structure sounds boring.

Until it saves 15 months.

This is the unglamorous work inside the machine room

I'm proud of what our LMU team delivered. Not because it made headlines — but because it didn't.

This is the quiet work. Nobody sees it until a founder says: "That was the fastest I've ever moved from lab to company."

Europe doesn't lack ideas. Europe loses time.

At LMU, we are taking that time back.

If you lead a university, a tech transfer office, or a research institution — the playbook exists. The results are real.

What's stopping you?

I write about building companies with integrity, European innovation, and the future of entrepreneurship. Every two weeks, one story. No slides. No fluff. -> subscribe to my newsletter